Escape
by Jane Glass
Summary: Albedo looks up now, hope in his unusually red eyes, "Help me then." Ben bites his lip while taking a moment to glance at Rook, "It's a risk, though." Albedo nods, "And I will likely never say anything as unbelievably idiotic as this, but...take the risk...please." Can Ben help Albedo escape his past and vengeful feelings or will they both be brought down?
1. Risk

**Escape  
Chapter 1: Risk  
Disclaimer: I don't own Ben 10.  
A.N.: Sorry to any reading my other stuff, like 'Ben Kidnapped'. I haven't felt like updating it, and I think it's because I haven't been watching any Ben 10. Not my fault, the makers of Ben 10 need to make a new cartoon, but anyways, I guess I could watch re-runs, but that just isn't me. More importantly, there may be spoilers in this. Also, this was inspired by a dream I had the other night. This takes place some time after Omniverse.**

* * *

"Hey," Ben shouts as he chases Albedo further into the alleys of Undertown, "You're not going anywhere with those Plumber weapons!"

Albedo continues running quickly, his breathing fast and shallow from the long chase. By now he would usually have lost Ben, but this is different. This time he had no plan ahead of getting the weapons and taking off in a ship, but that plan hadn't stood, thanks to his mole in the Plumbers base getting found out.

Now he had been running for at least thirty something minutes, and though he could run longer, he would rather not. It doesn't make matters any better that one of the Plumbers at the hanger had hit his left leg with a stun-blaster.

He doesn't plan on giving up though. He can't give Ben that satisfaction.

While wiping some sweat from his head, Albedo jumps onto a crate before jumping to a flat roof. He runs on the roof for a while before jumping to the next closely-spaced roof.

Albedo halts though as he spots Ben's partner, Rook.

"You are surrounded. Give up."

Albedo whirls around to see that he is indeed surrounded. Ben and Rook are both about five feet away on either side of him. He considers jumping for a moment, but Ben and Rook were blocking the other nearby houses. There are houses free on the side they aren't blocking, but with an alley between this house and those houses, it'd be too far a jump.

Albedo looks down in frustration, "Of course."

Ben checks his still timed-out Omnitrix, then turns to look at Albedo again, "It'll only be a few minutes for it to be working again, then I'll take you to your new room."

Albedo grits his teeth, considering his options. He comes to the conclusion that he could never be taken to a prison again. He also realizes that he would rather die than be mocked by the 'Great Ben Tennyson'.

He glances down at the bag on his shoulder that he's keeping the stolen Plumbers weapons in. It would not take a lot to make them explode.

He takes one of the larger and more dangerous weapons out, "I'd rather die."

Ben's stare becomes something closer to a glare as he taps the Omnitrix impatiently, "Didn't anyone ever tell you? You don't always get what you want."

Albedo takes out a tiny multi-use tool and begins tinkering with the weapon, "I believe the counter to is that sometimes you get what you need."

Rook steps forward to stop Albedo, but Albedo lifts the weapon, threatening to shoot him.

Ben stands still, watching angrily, "You wouldn't."

Albedo turns to shoot a glare Ben's way, "I would. Though if either of you would like to test me, then feel free to step forward."

Defeated, Rook steps back again, a scowl on his blue and furry face.

Only six minutes pass before Albedo smirks a bit to himself and drops the large weapon on the roof at his feet, "That will explode in sixty seconds. The explosion will kill or injure anyone within three feet...I think. So, either you back away and let me leave, or I and maybe you both will all either get killed or injured."

"You're bluffing!"

Rook looks at Ben, "We can't take the chance."

Ben growls, looking at his Omnitrix again in anger, "Well, we can't just let him go."

Albedo laughs without humor, "So you'd rather I die?"

"You're insane."

Silence fills the air around the three of them, then a ticking begins, making Albedo smirk, "Five seconds left."

Ben runs forward, pushing Albedo towards the edge of the roof that Rook's on. Albedo struggles to get free, but Ben holds him tightly with Albedo facing away from him.

Rook runs forward to grab the dangerous weapon and bomb, then throws it in the air as far as he can.

After a long five three seconds, a loud noise is heard and flames go up in the air.

Ben turns to look at the mess of debris falling from the sky along with flaming pieces of the used-to-be weapon, "You were serious..."

Albedo bites is lower lip so badly that he tastes the familiar rusty-salty taste of blood. He can stop the few tears that trail down his face, even though he'd promised himself that he'd never cry in front of anyone. Especially the enemy.

Ben lets him go, allowing Albedo to fall to his knees. Only then does Ben see a bit of blood running down his chin from his lip, and the tears running down from his eyes.

He glances at Rook who is busily stomping out what flames remain with the help of some resident aliens, then he turns to Albedo again, feeling odd seeing his enemy like this.

Ben slowly reaches down to grab Albedo by his upper arm, then he pulls him up, "Get yourself together, man."

Albedo turns away from him, ignoring Ben as Ben took the bag of weapons from him.

Ben walks over to give Rook the bag so Rook could give it to a Plumbers ship which had landed on the ground a good ways off, then he turns his attention back to Albedo, "You okay?"

Albedo wipes his red sleeve over his face, "You don't care."

Ben sighs, "Look, I can admit to not liking you, and you have to admit that you don't expect otherwise, but I do care."

Albedo looks away, "Save you and I both from the awkwardness of you trying to comfort your enemy and stop now."

Ben watches his white haired look-alike quietly for a moment, then speaks again, "We're only enemies because of you."

Albedo turns towards Ben to protest, but he fell silent at the truth behind Tennyson's words. He had wanted the Omnitrix, and even after Azmuth denied his request, he still sought out Ben Tennyson, and fought him as soon as he was sure Ben wouldn't just hand him the Omnitrix.

It is his fault. He'd been running from the truth for so long. Only ever so often thinking of how he regrets things he had done, and then pushing those thoughts aside before continuing onward to do yet more stupid things.

"I can't change the past," Albedo begins reluctantly, not meeting Ben's eyes, "No matter how much I regret things I've done."

"You can change the future."

Albedo looks directly at Ben now, "I can't go to prison."

Ben stares back at him, "Why not? If you'd just wait you'd probably be free by now."

"It's torture! I just sit in a outrageously small room and what? Think about how I am wrong? The only thing that sitting in a prison room makes me think about, is how badly I want revenge on Azmuth and you."

Ben glances over at the Plumbers truck a good ways off and below. Rook is watching him, and Ben guesses that Rook is wondering what's taking so long.

Ben turns back to Albedo, "I almost want to help you. Wouldn't be the first time that I was overly gullible to a villain, but if this goes like the first time then you'll just betray me."

"Are you seriously considering helping me?"

Ben shrugs lightly, "Or we could just doing this. You trying to get revenge, me stopping you..."

"Don't mock me, Tennyson!"

"I'm being serious. I either continue like that until you're stronger or smarter and win or cause a lot of trouble...or I take this opportunity to help you and maybe you'll change a bit?"

Albedo looks down, "Is such a thing possible?"

"Hey, it's worked before."

Albedo looks up now, hope in his unusually red eyes, "Help me then."

Ben bites his lip while taking a moment to glance at Rook, "It's a risk, though."

Albedo nods, "And I will likely never say anything as unbelievably idiotic as this, but...take the risk...please."


	2. Lies

**Chapter 2: Lies**

**A.N.: I hope you all enjoy this chapter!**

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If someone had told Ben that he'd be offering to help Albedo out of going to jail this morning he would have called them crazy, but now as he stands wondering how this would go, nothing seems more possible.

He, of course, realizes how dangerous this is. That Albedo could be playing him. Ben hasn't been this open and in danger of getting hurt physically and mentally since he was ten.

That was a long time ago...

Ben quickly glances at Rook one last time, mentally apologizing for what may be the biggest mistake he's ever made, "Okay, put on a good show, then run. Meet me at the Mr. Smoothies closest to my house tonight, though."

Albedo nods slightly, "You had better come alone."

Without another word spoken, Albedo hit Ben hard in the face, making Ben fall back with a yelp, then Albedo takes off, jumping to the next closest building.

Rook looks up quickly, then runs forward to the roof, a few Plumbers close behind.

Soon Rook and the Plumbers make it to the roof and Rook runs over to Ben who's standing and clutching his face lightly, "Are you okay, Ben?"

Ben nods a bit, "Yeah...I think..."

Rook looks around, but doesn't spot Albedo, "What had been taking so long?"

Ben bites his lip and looks away, "Ah...we got into a bit of an argument over whether or not I'm tougher than him."

Ben hates having to lie to Rook, but he can't tell Rook the truth. Rook is too much of a by-the-book Plumber.

Rook seems to dislike his answer, but doesn't voice his thoughts and instead walks back down again with the Plumbers.

Ben looks down at them, sighing.

What if Albedo is just tricking him? What if Albedo will try to kill him when they're alone? What if he succeeds?

Just now, though, Ben sees what seems to be a bigger problem, 'How will I get Rook to leave tonight?'

Ben either stayed up patrolling with Rook most nights, or he'd go to sleep at the Plumber's base, so getting Rook to leave him alone would be hard. Not impossible though...

A little later Ben finally heads back to the Proto-TRUK and Rook, who had been reading something on his portable device, looks over at him as he climbs in and buckles up, "Where were you?"

Ben shrugs, "Just checking in with a Plumber to make sure my nose wasn't broken."

It's true that he had checked in with a medic Plumber, but he'd also been stalling his return to the Proto-TRUK. Now, though, he sees his attempt to wait for Rook to relax a bit was futile. Rook's still as anxious, curious, and slightly annoyed as he had been earlier.

Rook sighs and looks away again as he puts his device away and starts the engine of the Proto-TRUK, "I wish you would not lie to me."

Ben chooses to assume that he's talking about the conversation at hand, and not the lie from earlier, "I'm not lying."

"Ben," Rook begins, turning to look at him for a moment as he drives, "Neither you or Albedo seemed angry at each other earlier. Did you lie to me?"

Looking the other way, Ben considers his options. He can just tell Rook...or he can use this situation to his advantage...

"Seriously, Rook..." Ben sighs angrily, "If you think I'm lying, then it won't do me any good to tell you otherwise, would it?"

Rook glances at him again, "It would do me some good, since I would be able to see whether or not your left eye twitches."

His heart feels icy as he realizes that he lying to his friend for Albedo...his friend who knows him so much about him... 'Is it worth it?', he wonders, 'Yes...', he decides...he knows it is...but he isn't sure why. It would get rid of one annoy enemy. He can't figure out why he doesn't feel to bad about lying to Rook, though.

Ben turns to Rook, giving him a glare that he has trouble keeping on his face, "And the only reason you know that is because Gwen or someone told you, right? Well, maybe I'm tired of you knowing things about me like that. And maybe I'm tired of being second-guessed. Tired of people thinking that I'm weak...or immature!"

Ben opens his door, making Rook halt the vehicle with a look of shock on his face, "Ben, where are you going?"

Ben turns to him, trying to meet his eyes, but it's hard to, "Somewhere you're not."

Rook opens his mouth to speak, but stays quiet, as if shocked beyond words. Ben feels a pang of guilt. He can feel Rook's pain and the dangerous silence stretches out between them.

Ben turns quickly, knowing he would break if he stays any longer, and he can't break yet.

Now he has to get home. 'This had better be worth it.'


	3. Decisions

**Chapter 3: Decisions**

**A.N.: I think I got a few things wrong in the chapters before this one... Oh well, you're not reading this to learn or to know more stuff about Ben 10...and if you are, then stop. Also, I'm sorry I don't make Albedo's speech more intelligent sounding. I'm not too smart, and rather lazy at times. I am writing this because I want to, though I would like it if others enjoyed my stories. Especially my Albedo stories, since there aren't many good ones for him (in my opinion).**

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A while later, he finally made it to the closest Mr. Smoothies. He had decided to walk on a longer path to the place, though, since he didn't want to be seen by his mom, and he's quite happy that he'd chosen Mr. Smoothies as their meeting place, because after a long walk and flying using Jet-Ray, he's hungry.

He walks up the window and orders himself some chili-cheese fries and a smoothie before he walks to sit down at one of the round tables.

While eating, he finds that he can't get him mind off of his possibly bad decision. Why did he suddenly feel like trusting Albedo? It can't just be because he'd found out that Albedo's so desperate to just get away from his past that he'd die. Maybe it is partly that. Albedo doesn't want to be a villain, Ben doesn't want him to be a villain...if doing something bad secretly to help Albedo and befriend Albedo can make Albedo stopping causing trouble, then it would be a good thing.

But there is a chance it won't work. What if it's all just a trap? A lie? What if he doesn't come here tonight? That would mean that Ben's to blame for allowing Albedo to once again escape...but it'd still be showing him that Ben cares. And that had been the key last time. Just showing that he cares, that he's willing to lose some battles to help him...letting him get away in an attempt to help him...it would all play a major role.

Ben takes another sip of his smoothie as he decides that he will try his hardest to help Albedo...he will, for now on, try to do whatever he can to help Albedo. Just like he'd once done for someone in a somewhat similar situation.

"Fancy meeting you here."

Ben looks up from his food and drink as Albedo sits down in front of him. Ben pushes his chili-cheese fries box towards him, "I wasn't sure you'd show up."

Albedo simply stares at the fries before meeting Ben's bright green eyes, "I shouldn't have come here. This morning...I wasn't thinking with my normal level of intellect."

Ben shakes his head, "You weren't. I know. You nearly died, you almost got captured again...you're getting tired, I think. You were thinking with your heart in a moment of insecurity. Why don't you follow something other than your brain for once?"

Albedo looks down, "Must you remind me that I accidentally acted weak before you?"

Ben rolls his eyes with a sigh, "Okay, fine..." he says, "Why don't you eat the rest? I'm done."

Albedo stares at the fries for a few minutes, and then he admits, "I don't trust that you didn't put some sort of medication on them."

While taking another fry, Ben says, "Yet you trusted me to come here alone?"

Albedo glances back up, but then back down again, "I did... However, I also checked this area thoroughly before I came over here."

Ben nods a little, but stops as he says, "What about the risks I'm taking?"

Albedo stays silent this time. Yes, the risks he'd asked Ben to take...what about those? Ben knew he won there.

After a moment, Albedo reaches forward to grab a few of the chili-cheese fries that they both loved, then he ate them.

Ben can't help but smile a little in response, and he looks down, hoping Albedo won't notice and get angry. He seems to get embarrassed easily, and he seems to get angry when he's embarrassed.

Albedo is apparently to busy eating to care, though. Ben shakes his head as he realizes Albedo probably doesn't get to eat much, unless he steals himself some food.

He drinks his smoothie as he wonders what he'll do next...how he'll work out Albedo's problem. Maybe he could bring him to his house? His parents would get suspicious, though... On the other hand, he could ask his parents to not tell anyone about Albedo, and maybe a lie would dash their suspicions. What would he tell them, though? Maybe that Albedo is a runaway teen who's parents are abusive? That would work...but he'd hate to lie to them. They'd learned to accept him as a hero, and he wouldn't like to have to tell them more lies when he really does trust them.  
Maybe they can know the truth? But then, does Ben trust Albedo so much to put his parents in possible danger? Well, if they did go to Ben's house, Ben would have to tell his parents, they would deserve to know that they're in possible danger.

What other places could he take Albedo to, then? More importantly, how long would Ben help hide him and lie to everyone else? He's not sure he can do that. Every law enforcement in the universe wouldn't accept that Albedo's not bad, though. Not after all he's done. Would he and Albedo be forced to hide forever the fact that they're working together? No...Ben's a hero, he can surely do something about the situation. Maybe if he talked with Azmuth...? He knew Max might accept Albedo as a better person eventually, and that would surely help...

"Ben," Albedo breaks the silence, "This...is my problem, which I created with my own mistakes. As much as I wish you could help, you can't, and even if you could...you shouldn't. The reason I'm even in this mess started when I first attacked you. You shouldn't have to help me, and you shouldn't want to. It would complicate matters more, and it would just drag you down with me."

Ben stares at him in shock...surprise. Albedo saw this illogical, then? He doesn't want Ben to get in trouble? Ben will take this as a good sign, a sign that Albedo is good, a sign that he did regret his past wrong-doings.

And if Albedo can be helped...Ben will help him, "Albedo...I've made my decision...ever since you asked me to take the risk of helping you...when I told you to meet me here, I was ready for any outcome, and I still am. I've lied to my friend today for you...tricked him. I want to help you. This will either work, and we'll both walk away from this happy, or we'll go down together."

It's Albedo's turn to stare, now. A moment passes before he speaks again, "I don't deserve your kindness."

Ben shrugs, "We all make mistakes...I would know... We all deserve a chance to change, though."

Albedo looks down, and then smiles a little. It's odd to Ben, as he's not used to seeing Albedo even a little happy, but it makes him glad he decided to help him. It made him feel better about himself.

Albedo meets Ben's bright green eyes again, "Thank you... I don't know if you're lying about anything you're saying...and I don't know if you'll lie to me...but I...I will trust you. I suppose it'll just mean that I might end up captured, but that could have happened anyways...but I trust you, not for that logical reason, but because I believe what you've said... I trust you."

Ben smiles as he stands, feeling warm and bright, "I trust you, too." And he did. He even came to his next decision, "Hey, this is another risk, but why don't we go to my house? I don't think my parents would tell about you, and I don't even have to tell them that you're the person who'll be staying over."

Ben knew that he'd decided against that idea earlier, but if he kept a close eye on Albedo, then what could go wrong?

Albedo nods a little as he stands, "If you think that it's a good idea, then I'm fine with it."

Ben smiles at him, "You're not going to use your brain?"

Albedo smirks a bit, but not the trademark evil smirk...no, a happy sort of smirk...a playful one, "Didn't you tell me not to?"

Ben laughs a little, "Fair enough. Come on, now."

They walk in silence and finally make it to Ben's house. Ben feels nervousness running through him, and almost turns away, but he knows it's for a good cause. It's a good reason. It's for a friend.

So he knocks. He swallows hard, but as he turns to Albedo, who's staring back at him calmly, he suddenly feels himself relax.  
_  
This will either work, and we'll both walk away from this happy, or we'll go down together._


End file.
